Choices Made
by WinterKuuro
Summary: When the Shredder decides that enough is enough, he devises a plan to tear the brothers apart by striking their weakness: Loyalty and Family. With hard choices ahead, their brotherhood is about to be put through the ultimate test...


_Okay! So I decided to write this, because I'm pulling an all nighter and need something to entertain me for the time being =D. Haha xD nuh I really wanted to write a TMNT story so here it is! Try not to kill me! It's only the prologue so no throwing fruit! If you wish to throw stuff at me, let it be reviews! I live on theemmm grrraaaw _

_Anyway, Disclaimer: I haven't ever had four teenage mutant ninja turtles crash at my place for pizza, so no, I don't own anything but the plot! THOUGH I DO STILL ENJOY TORTURING THEM ALL THE SAME AS I WOULD MY OWN CHARACTERS!_

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**Choices Made**

**-Prologue-  
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Some people say, that if you believe enough in something, a hope or a dream, it's bound to come true. He wasn't sure where he'd heard it from, or if he'd even read it, but at the moment it seemed like the only thing that was keeping him standing. The thought that if he believed enough that Raphael could fly, he would.

It was a foolish thought, but when the Shredder had his hand wrapped around your baby brothers neck, that blood boiling chuckle filling the air while all you could do was stand there and make the hardest choice of your life, stupid thoughts were the only thing cancelling out the urge to scream.

A small whimper escaped Michelangelo as the armoured hand squeezed, his eyes closing in fear as he helplessly dangled from the grip. Leonardo couldn't remember how it had happened. It seemed important though, being stuck between the biggest decision of his life while he tried not to look his red banded brother in the eye.

"Turtle, I am losing my patience" He said simply, nothing behind his tone that suggested impatience at all. He was toying with him, trying to scare him into making the split decision that would ultimately ruin his life either way. Leonardo's stare wavered, his hands forming into tight fists as he tried to make sense of it all.

Donatello shouted sharply as Raphael swayed over the edge of the building, looking as if he were about to topple over with the wind. The sound made the leader snap his head towards his amber eyed brother. The helpless look he was faced with made his throat squeeze painfully, it was something that should have never been there "Leo, what is the plan?" Don said through clenched teeth from behind him, eyes flicking between Mikey and Raph.

A plan...he usually had a plan, but he couldn't gather his thoughts. Wasn't he meant to be the leader? The oldest brother? He was meant to keep everyone _safe_. Why was he _failing_?

The concrete crumbled about 3 feet away, the large hole splitting wider as it tried to hold itself together "Raphael, how about you get a little closer to the ledge, just to speed up your brothers decision hm?" Saki said smoothly, a small sound of pride crawling up his throat as the turtle did as he ordered "Now you see, that is a good soldier" he stated "Always ready to take orders, even when it appears to be costing his own life. Such Loyalty. That was a trait I noticed that you never used to your advantage Leonardo."

"To what? Put my own brothers life on the line to save my own? I would never do that" He spat harshly, taking an agressive step forward before stopping himself abruptly.

"How about to save your baby brother?" Leonardo's heart stopped for a moment "You look to be contemplating it" he chuckled, obviously amused by the blue banded turtles distress "To sacrifice one brother to save the other sounds quite...selfish? Obviously if you were to choose one, the others last thought would be that you simply didn't _love_ him enough to save his life. Or maybe you would choose from strategy: Keep the stronger and destroy the weak, makes more sense that your team should be rid of the weakest to save the many"

Leonardo snarled furiously "Shut up"

But Shredder ignored him "It would be a noble thing to die for your clan. So lets do the statistics. Raphael: Hot headed, angry, extremely violent, judgement clouded by anger and his own selfishness for the fight. Yet, he is loyal, skilful, resourceful and entirely willing to put his body on the line for the sake of his family."

"You don't know anything _about_ him!" Donatello shouted, his knees buckling under the added weight of his injured leg.

The metal clad ninja master brushed off the comment and narrowed his eyes at the turtle within his grip "Michelangelo" He started smoothly, the sound of a smirk twisting onto his face weaving through his voice "Loud, always taunting, does not concentrate, rather lazy, easily discouraged if things don't go right, though when he concentrates his level of ninjutsu excels immensely, if maybe a little more disciplined he would become quite the ninja. I guess you could put it as an investment if you decided you decided to save his life instead"

Blue eyes widened sluggishly as tears gathered at the corners. Michelangelo's own fear made it harder for him to breathe as he looked straight into the face of his enemy "But, there is always the history. While Michelangelo - from what I know - has never harmed your _family_, the same cannot be said for Raphael-"

"I said shut up!" the leader screamed as he unsheathed his katana and ran at Saki in raw desperation. It was all too sudden that the feeling that it was a bad idea overwhelmed him. His stomach flipped as everything passed in a blur of slow motion. His baby brother was pulled closer to the armoured body, forearm pressed against his collarbone as the Shredder used him as a shield, not an ounce of worry showing on his features as the red slits narrowed at the blue banded turtle darting towards him.

Though what really choked the 'fearless' leader were the two words that crushed down on his heart.

"Raphael"

_'No, no please God no' _

"Jump"

The noise of his own thoughts drowned out his purple banded brother's sudden cry of disdain, the knowledge that his injury hindered him from getting to is older brother fast enough to save him in time. The same thoughts choked Leonardo all the same, but it seemed no matter how hard he tried to believe, Raphael couldn't fly.


End file.
